


Yamaguchi's Already in Love

by pareidoliaticspume



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Amnesia, M/M, Tsukishima thought processes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-17
Updated: 2017-07-10
Packaged: 2018-08-15 14:16:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8059504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pareidoliaticspume/pseuds/pareidoliaticspume
Summary: Yamaguchi wakes up from an accident with amnesia and frankly Tsukishima’s surprised it was retrograde instead of the more common anterograde, but that’s beside the point. Yamaguchi doesn’t remember him or the time he managed to convince both of them to wear lingerie. But it’s ok. They live together and Tsukishima’s handsome, so he’ll make it work.





	1. Introduction to Kei

Tsukishima stood with his hands clasped, one thumb slowly running over the knuckle of the other as he chewed lightly on his headphone chord and stared at the clinical white of Yamaguchi’s hospital bed. Apparently his boyfriend had popped out of his sleep a few hours ago only to ask mother who she was before promptly falling back asleep. Now Tsukishima was here to take him home to a cute little apartment next to the railroad tracks, full of Yamaguchi’s accumulating work, Tsukishima’s own recent convenience store meal binging, and decorative beer cans in pyramid structures on every free surface. Maybe he should add some corpse flowers that Yamaguchi had been eyeing to make the entire mess a little homelier. He would still like them right? Adoration of weird plants wouldn’t be based on memory alone, that had to have something to do with personality. But parts of personality are dependent on memory. What about those stories where someone’s personality completely changes after an accident? Would Yamaguchi appreciate the gesture? Would he even know that before the accident, their home was devoid of his favorite, rare blossom? Would he even come home?

Tsukishima continued to fiddle with his fingers.

Yamaguchi rose from his sleep gracefully, pulling his torso up like a mummy rising from what everyone thought was its permanent death. He wasn’t fully lucid and his head lolled to the side, rolling around until eventually it fell forward and pitched him headfirst into his legs. If Yamaguchi had been any less flexible, his torso would have hung in the air and maybe Tsukishima would have found it a bit funny, but as it was, Yamaguchi was getting reacquainted with his 24-year-old knees. They were really nice knees. Yamaguchi liked to complain that his knees were a bit off color compared to the rest of his legs, but Tsukishima just thought it was because he would fall on his knees a lot. When Tsukishima told him, he got red which meant Tsukishima got red, but no, he just meant Yamaguchi dived for volleyballs often. “Yours are not that big, Tsukki,” he’d said and Tsukishima had to do something, anything, to win back the conversation. “I bet Kageyama has real volleyballs down there,” Yamaguchi had added and Tsukishima lost instantly by bursting into laughter.

Tsukishima approached Yamaguchi’s bedside slowly and carefully so he wouldn’t startle blinking-rapidly-and-trying-to-focus-on-his-face-Yamaguchi. He was leaning forward and squinting like he couldn’t believe Tsukishima was standing there. “Hello.”

Yamaguchi instantly sat up straight and pushed a piece of hair behind his ear, avoiding Tsukishima’s stare. “H-hello..” His eyes kept darting to Tsukishima’s face and away, face struggling to keep his smile and blush down. “Ah, y-you’re here to see a,” he leaned over to look at papers on his bedside table, “Yamaguchi Tadashi, right?”

Tsukishima gave his best non-threatening smile and nodded. “Yes.” Please, any permutation was fine really, the Yamaguchi from a month ago, the Yamaguchi from 20 years ago, the Yamaguchi who is an odd mismatch of skills acquired up until a month ago and memories acquired 30 years ago where Yamaguchi was still elements of the cosmos and maybe a few molecules floating around in stars, Tsukishima didn’t know, he didn’t keep track of where all of his boyfriend’s atoms came from, even a Yamaguchi from a universe where they were magicians taking classes at a magic school where Tsukishima was on a quest to find din- no, dragons was perfect with him.

Yamaguchi sat up straight again. “W-what can I do for you, sir?” He even clasped his hands together into his lap and Tsukishima turned the silly smile fighting its way to his face into a polite service smile.

“Yamaguchi-sama, I am merely here to inform you that the car is downstairs for whenever you wish to depart.”

“Wah?” Yamaguchi finally got fully expressive on him, confusion bubbling on his face as his hands rose in a gesture of bewilderment and surprise. Tsukishima could no longer hold in his laughter and he ended up bowing his head on Yamaguchi’s raised hospital bed in an effort to control himself.

Tsukishima finally rose and wiped any potential tears to see Yamaguchi maintaining a nervous smile and his hand inching away from Tsukishima’s head. Ah, he still wanted to touch Tsukishima’s hair. He had to hold himself together. No more weirding out Yamaguchi. He cleared his throat. “Sorry about that, I am Tsukishima Kei.” He bowed and Yamaguchi returned it the best he could.

“Nice to meet you, Tsukishima-san.” He beamed and Tsukishima staunchly kept his hands to himself. Should he tell him, should he tell him? He wanted to tell him they were lovers. Wait, they’re both guys, right? Tsukishima felt a stupid need to check and make sure. How would Yamaguchi respond to that? He apparently looked constipated when thinking too hard because Yamaguchi gave him a worried look accessorized with cute furrowed eyebrows and a helpful smile. “Um, there’s a bathroom over there.”

“Huh?” Tsukishima turned his constipated look onto Yamaguchi, a bit angry now because he was ripped away from his super important thoughts on how to deal with urgent Yamaguchi matters but it was Yamaguchi who ripped him away so surely that made it okay, right? Yamaguchi was on both sides of his head now, one imaginary Yamaguchi responding to the information that they bought condoms together and one real Yamaguchi putting a hand to his own forehead. That’s a lot of Yamaguchi for his mind to sift through. Would he be able to call him Tadashi if he managed to convince him home? Wait, no time to imagine that concept, Yamaguchi said something.

“Ah, sorry. I just feel so dizzy,” real Yamaguchi whispered. Tsukishima helped him lie back down and tried not to be too upset when it was appropriate to let go.

“Don’t worry about it, rest as long as you need to,” Tsukishima said as he went to take a seat. He’d told his work that someone died and he was willing to milk that for all it was worth. He was ready with a book and everything.

Yamaguchi still looked worried, craning his neck to look at Tsukishima. “I don’t want to make you wait.”

“Please, it’s nothing. I was waiting before you woke up as well.”

“Ah! That’s even worse,” Yamaguchi wailed before clamping his hands over his mouth. “I think it’s rude to make someone’s driver wait that long.”

What? Tsukishima stared at his book, wondering if he had read about drivers and his mind mixed sentences together. But nothing in a cake recipe book mentioned careers in transportation. “I’m sorry, driver?”

Yamaguchi quickly sat up straight once more, holding his head momentarily before looking at Tsukishima. “I-is that not what you are? Sorry, butler then?”

One, Tsukishima was surprised at how quickly Yamaguchi had gone from calling him sir to being far more casual after he used sama. Two, he wondered how excited Yamaguchi was with the concept of being rich. Oh, and now Tsukishima would have to disappoint him. Wonderful job. Three, this was an excellent segue into the true nature of their relationship. Dear darling Yamaguchi, the truth of the matter is, Tsukishima is an excellent driver. And his stick shift is underneath that hospital robe.

“We bone.”

“What?”

What was that, a quote from Kageyama? Too eager, Tsukishima, calm down.

“You’re not a driver?”

“No, I do have a license.”

“You are a driver?”

Tsukishima was standing at the foot of Yamaguchi’s bed now, doing his best not to implode. He needed to clear this stupid misunderstanding immediately. Starting from his stupid sama joke.

“You’re not rich.”

“Oh…ok.” Yamaguchi gave him another confused smile and he wondered if Yamaguchi was just tolerating him at this point.

“No, no, no. Start over.” Tsukishima took a deep breath and stepped to Yamaguchi’s side again. “Tsukishima Kei.”

“Yamaguchi Tadashi.”

“Tadashi, it’s good to see you awake at last.” Tsukishima smiled his most handsome smile, sure to melt Yamaguchi’s heart.

“Oh!” Yamaguchi nearly shouted. “You’re another relative?”

Tsukishima was not ready to quit, but he was ready to cry.


	2. Introduction to the housekeeper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Contains no tragic backstories

All of Tsukishima’s beer pyramids in his apartment had been toppled over, so he couldn’t even impress Yamaguchi with his productiveness despite his recent depression. The roomba knocked against their feet as they took their shoes off. It was the culprit and Tsukishima wanted to throw it out a window, but when it fell over the small step between the entryway and the hallway and Yamaguchi took pity on it, Tsukishima remembered who bought it in the first place.

It was him because it was the closest thing to a pet that he could present to Yamaguchi on his birthday and he wasn’t about to throw away money earned doing boring work, especially not since it bought some of Yamaguchi’s smiles. Tell the world your secrets, Roomba. What’s the smile's price range? Any sales? Coupons? Bulk discounts? How perishable?

“Tsukishima-san?” Yamaguchi stood in the living room, head cocked to the side and looking at Tsukishima with wide eyes. Tsukishima's fingers itched at the cute display but he congratulated himself for keeping his face impassive. “Everything ok back there?”

“Ah, yes. I was just thinking about grocery shopping.” He stepped forward to Yamaguchi’s side and they surveyed the state of the living room together. Unopened bills, tear-stained cushions haphazardly strewn over bento box towers, the overwhelming stench of decay and more all making lovely contemporary art together. Assumed Loss of a Loved One, Tsukishima Kei, date unknown due to inability to track time. The state of their bedroom wasn’t any better and Tsukishima was completely embarrassed to have brought someone back to see this, but he worried that if he pawned Yamaguchi off to his parents for even one night, they’d never give him back.

Yamaguchi picked up some convenience store packages and showed them to Tsukishima. “Grocery shopping?”

Was this Yamaguchi being cheeky or was this Yamaguchi being genuinely curious or was this Yamaguchi feeling sad for him? What would be the fastest route to calling him Tadashi? Maybe if he swept him up in his arms and whispered in his ear, voice cracking with emotion. Dear Yamaguchi, Tsukishima was so distraught over your injury that he lost himself entirely and no longer had the strength of will to cook. But one passionate night together will fix everything. Wait, in Yamaguchi’s mind, was he still a virgin?

Tsukishima ruffled Yamaguchi’s hair before walking into the kitchen. “Very funny.” Why did he come in here? He didn’t want to open any of the sad, empty drawers. He didn’t even have any local grocery store sale fliers that they used to soak up oil when making fries. But he’d saved some money buying only one meal a day. How many Yamaguchi smiles could that buy?

Yamaguchi’s stomach growled and he covered it with his hands as if that could hide it. Tsukishima went over and picked up more empty food boxes and shook them in Yamaguchi’s face. Should he go for a soft smile or a cheeky one? He opted for a smirk as he said, “Shall we go grocery shopping?” Yamaguchi smiled and Tsukishima could do so much better for him. “No no, forget it.” He flicked the boxes away and it bounced off the roomba and made it into the trash can. “Let’s go to a restaurant.” He decided to start the Road to Tadashi early. First day knowing each other, first date. He was working much faster than last time, when he took several years to ask Yamaguchi out. Ah, he was growing up.

Yamaguchi was looking at him with wide-eyed awe that he shook away at Tsukishima’s request as he eagerly nodded. Was the awe because the boxes made it into the trash? Hopefully so because Tsukishima himself was fighting to hold in the victory pose from that shot. Now was the time to be cool and stoic with just the perfect amount of self-assured flirting to ensure a return back to his apartment.

Their apartment.

Tsukishima grabbed their coats. “Tell me if you get tired, we’ll head back to our apartment immediately.”

“Our apartment,” Yamaguchi muttered softly as they walked back outside. It really made Tsukishima guilty about bringing him back to that mess. He needed to clean it before Yamaguchi came back. Maybe pretend to go to the bathroom and scurry back at lightning speed. Or engineer a clone to do the work while he had a lovely time. Or pay Yachi everything in his bank account to do it for him.

Yamaguchi slid closer to him before bumping his shoulder. “So,” he smiled up at Tsukishima, broad and excited, “where are we going?”

Tsukishima hip-checked him in return and accidentally sent him flying. “It’s cold out,” he said like Yamaguchi couldn’t tell for himself. Don’t wimp out, Tsukishima, don’t wimp out. He slid an arm around Yamaguchi’s shoulders and pulled him close. “How about we warm up?”

“Hotpot!” Yamaguchi said while throwing his arms up in the air. One hand hit Tsukishima’s glasses. They went flying and Tsukishima bid them a cheerful goodbye as he himself went to meet the floor. They had a good run. They died for an excellent cause. Now Yamaguchi would have to guide him around, preferably with his hands. Or some arms. He could lead Tsukishima around with his mouth any day.

But Yamaguchi was once again his savior and his bane. Lightning quick, he moved to lightly catch Tsukishima’s glasses with one arm and wrap around his waist with the other. He was being suspended at a 45-degree angle over the horizontal that he realized he might have broken a nose on. He hadn’t even reached out to catch himself. O, great savior Yamaguchi, how can Tsukishima ever repay you. He doesn’t have any money at the moment on account of offering it to a goddess to clean his room for him, but perhaps other services will suffice.

Yamaguchi’s cheeks were becoming increasingly puffy under the strain. “Wow, I can’t believe you stayed so strong,” Tsukishima said in awe. Come cage him in with those arms, he doesn’t care how dirty the bed is. Yamaguchi gave him a pained smile and Tsukishima instantly righted himself. He carefully inspected his glasses and put them on as Yamaguchi patted down his coat.

“I’m glad you’re alright.”

Tsukishima pinched Yamaguchi’s biceps. “I’m surprised these didn’t deteriorate.”

He gave an embarrassed laugh. “I didn’t know I was that strong. Ah, but you’re pretty light too!”

“You’re lighter, actually.”

“Wah, really?” Do it, Tsukishima, do it!

Tsukishima wrapped his arms around Yamaguchi’s knees and quickly swept him up into the air. “See?” he said, pulling the word out through clenched teeth. He put Yamaguchi down immediately and went to lean his head against the wall. Beer bloated and out of shape Tsukishimas should never pull stunts like that.

Yamaguchi put a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Are you alright?”

If he wasn’t, what would Yamaguchi do? Can he find out before he chooses a route? “Ah, yeah, I just haven’t eaten for a while. Lack of glucose. Let’s go,” he said, taking Yamaguchi’s wrist and leading him out. Hotpot, hotpot. Did he know any good hotpot places nearby? No, no he didn’t.


	3. Introduction to latent indulgences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No restaurant? No problem! To the supermarket!

Tsukishima picked up some papers detailing the supermarket’s current sales before he and Yamaguchi entered the market itself. Yamaguchi spotted a service dog with an old lady and ran to it, leaving Tsukishima to wander the isles alone. He glared at different meat packages before finally making the fateful phone call.

“Hey, Tsukishima! Isn’t it kinda late?”

“We’re having a hotpot at Yachi’s house, what kind of meat do you want?”

Hinata shrieked loudly enough into the phone that Tsukishima almost dropped it. “Now? Hmm, I guess we can go… Late night shabu shabu!”

“It’s winter, you idiot,” he could hear Kageyama in the background, “let’s have oden.”

“Choose your meat or I’m not getting any.”

Hinata yelled, “Wait! You should get kobe! Or wagyu. Or both.” Tsukishima rolled his eyes. Kobe was wagyu. He could probably get the shittiest wagyu and call it kobe and Hinata would believe him.

“Oye, Tsukishima, get salmon.”

“You only want that cause we add milk to it.”

“We add milk to every one we make.”

“Every one we make is always yosenabe!”

Tsukishima hung up and called Yachi.

“Mm, h-hey Kei-kun. How can I help you?”

“Yachi-san,” he started, willing to have bowed before her if she was here. “Do you mind if we have a hotpot at your apartment tonight?”

“N-now? Uh…” He could hear faint smacking sounds in the background and he made a silent promise that he would do anything for Yachi ever as long as he survived this phone call.

“It’s Yamaguchi’s first night out of the hospital and-”

“Oh! Yeah, ahh, ok.” There was some shuffling and Yachi’s voice came through much more composed. “Sure. You’ll bring the ingredients again, right? I’ll have things set up here in thirty minutes.”

“Thank you very much, Yachi-san.”

Yachi giggled. “Of course! I want to see Tadashi-kun too!”

“And Shimizu-san?”

“K-Kiyoko-san yeth, ow, thoo.”

“Did you bite your tongue?”

“See you soon, Tsukishima-kun,” came Kiyoko’s smooth voice before she hung up.

Embarrassment? Mostly averted. Objective? Complete success. But no time for a victory dance. He had to find Yamaguchi and then find a demon to sell his soul to to pay for all of the expensive meat he needed to convince Yachi that this was better than her daily midnight orgasm. And if they stayed over and Shimizu didn’t kill them, Tsukishima would be able to sneak back in the morning and quickly clean their apartment. Brilliant, he was brilliant.

“Wooah, meat!” Yamaguchi trilled as he slid close to Tsukishima.

Tsukishima turned to him. Would his favorite kind be the same? Do they need to retest it? “We’ll be going to a friend’s house once we get the ingredients. You’ll be meeting some of our high school friends.”

Yamaguchi rocked on his heels. “I hope they’re not too disappointed.”

Tsukishima turned back to the meat. “Was the dog cute?”

“Oh, yes, very!” Yamaguchi pulled out his phone to show the myriad of angles he had taken. “It was really fluffy and its owner let me scratch behind its ear and look Tsukk-Tsukishima-san, its ears were perked up and super pointy.”

“It looks like a good rescue dog.”

“Mm, I think I’m going to put it as my phone background.”

Tsukishima peered over Yamaguchi’s shoulder. “You remember your phone code?”

Yamaguchi peered up at him, embarrassed. “Ah, no, I just…moved my thumb automatically and it knew…”

Tsukishima nodded. “Muscle memory.” He patted Yamaguchi’s shoulder in the best reassuring gesture he could manage outside of hugging him in the middle of the supermarket.

Yamaguchi nodded and picked up random packages. “Think muscle memory can help me choose my favorite?”

Tsukishima took a peek at the prices and winced. Don’t be so stingy, Tsukishima! This is Yamaguchi’s first night out remember? Make a good impression.

Tsukishima took a deep breath. Good impression, good impression. “Unlikely considering I’m the possessor of your favorite meat.”

Tsukishima was certain he was sweating a flood as Yamaguchi tilted his head to look carefully at him. But Yamaguchi took his eyes off Tsukishima’s face and brought them down to the basket in his arms. “Where is it?”

Tsukishima let out the largest sigh of relief he could manage to morph into a sigh of mild amusement. Oh, Yamaguchi, that’s because it’s in his pants. “Oh, Yamaguchi, that’s a secret. Let’s see if you can find it first.” Should Tsukishima draw you a map?

Yamaguchi did a three-sixty to look around, even putting a hand on his forehead and pretending to look on far away shelves. “Mm, nope. Nothing’s ringing a bell.”

You rang that bell once, Yamaguchi. Tsukishima felt silly wearing it, but your endless giggles while flicking it were worth all of the embarrassment.

“Of course not,” Tsukishima said, bumping Yamaguchi’s shoulder. “Memories of taste are for more poignant than a simple package that we didn’t even see very often.”

Yamaguchi nodded along like Tsukishima was espousing world-changing rhetoric. “You still don’t have it though.”

Or was he nodding along like he was merely humoring Tsukishima?

Tsukishima frowned at his empty basket and then at the kobe beef in front of him. “I was just deciding which cut looks the best.” He picked up two annoyingly identical packs at random and poked through the clear wrap to feel the raw muscle underneath. It felt nice, so he patted it. “Yes, good quality.” He hoped Yamaguchi believed him so he wouldn’t have to explain his odd love of touching mildly soft, raw meat.

Yamaguchi took the package from him and poked it as well. He was less ashamed to continue poking and squishing it. Don’t get a boner in the supermarket, Tuskishima, don’t do it.

Yeah, don’t do it Tsukishima, Yamaguchi seems to also find soft fascinating.

“Have you made your pick?”

Yamaguchi jumped like he forgot Tsukishima was there and shamefully put the package back. “I poked it too much and now it looks awful.”

Tsukishima laughed. “Having a little too much fun stroking meat there.”

Yamaguchi grew astonishingly embarrassed, capillaries in his face expanding at a rate so alarming, Tsukishima expected to see steam coming out of his ears. He hid his face in his hands and almost kneeled down to join the meat. It wouldn’t be a bad idea, they were refrigerated and would help him cool down. They would help Tsukishima cool down too. Would Yamaguchi notice now if Tsukishima took the package Yamaguchi had manhandled and put it against his own?

“Want a beer to cool down?”

Yamaguchi looked up and shook his head and unclasped his gut, standing up at full height to mimic Tsukishima’s cold stare down at the meat. “I’ll go pick the vegetables.”

Tsukishima nodded and went back to choosing meat, ignoring the urge to mutilate the package that sat happily rubbed and gloating or instead vicariously live out those glorious few seconds of said rubbing. He hadn’t fallen that far that he would be jealous of food. That only happened once on his birthday and it was easy enough to be jealous of strawberry shortcake on a regular day. It was so fluffy and sweet and stuck to Yamaguchi’s nose when he wasn’t careful. And kind Kei offered his own strawberry on top when Yamaguchi’s slipped off and onto the ground. Yamaguchi’s tongue wrapped around that strawberry and licked off the whipped cream, leaving behind a thin film of cream mixed with saliva that Tsukishima had been quite happy to help him with.

Forget loud hotpot parties, he should have taken Yamaguchi to a quiet bakery instead.


	4. Introduction to their friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsukishima gets wet.

Tsukishima slipped into the hallway of Yachi’s and Shimizu’s shared apartment, making sure to duck down when going through the doorway, and was greeted with Yachi stealing the bags from his arms. Shimizu glided over to Yamaguchi who was struggling with holding up his own bags and taking off his shoes at the same time and took his baggage off his hands with a smile, leaving poor, unwarned Yamaguchi with a blush and a cute sputter as she walked away. 

“Shimizu Kiyoko,” Tsukishima whispered in Yamaguchi’s ear and suddenly the boy’s heart was being attacked on both sides. “Married to Yachi Hitoka.” He pointed to the bouncing blonde who had returned and was ready to jump into Yamaguchi’s arms as a hello. 

Yamaguchi bowed low and Yachi was startled back a step before regaining her bearings and bowing in return. “Ah, Tadashi-kun!” She caught Tsukishima’s calculating eye and tried to figure out exactly how to greet Yamaguchi properly. “It’s nice to see you aga- um, meet you?” 

Yamaguchi looked at her with a bewildered expression to match and fumbled through his own greeting, “Ah, yes, ah, Ya-yachi-s-san?” wincing when Yachi made a face at being addressed so formally. 

“Hitoka-chan?” came Shimizu’s smooth voice from the kitchen. “What would our guests like to drink?” 

Yachi instantly lost her nervous expression at those words and brightened up, clasping her hands together. “Kei-kun, Tadashi-kun, please come inside. We have water and juice. I see you brought beer, Kei-kun, but don’t you think it’s too late in the night for that?”

Yachi’s soft smile seemed to reassure Yamaguchi and he padded into the living room after her, nodding along as she talked. He looked around the clean room in wonder, eyes grazing over the photographs Yachi liked to decorate every corner with. Tsukishima hoped beyond hope that some of them would jog his memory and went to help Shimizu with drinks. It was only when he was handing some water to Yamaguchi that the door burst open with Hinata’s loud greeting and Kageyama’s even louder shout telling him it was too late in the night for this and he needs to shut up and Yamaguchi flinched, tossing the glass into the air. Luckily for Tsukishima, he was able to look cool as he caught it swiftly with one hand. Unluckily for Tsukishima, he was unable to be cool enough to catch the water as well and it fell all over his pants.

They stared at him, in the living room, as he stood with one hand up and triumphant around the glass and his expression mortified as all he felt was uncomfortable wetness. Tsukishima’s eyes quickly took in the scene, Yachi’s gasp of pure surprise, Hinata’s finger pointed right in the middle of the splash zone ready to laugh uproariously, Kageyama’s teeth close to Hinata’s ear ready to shout in it or bite and suck, it really was hard to tell with that guy, and Shimizu’s quick placement of the drink tray on the table and ethereal glide into the kitchen for a napkin that made her look calm even as she rushed.

And Yamaguchi, dear Yamaguchi, eyes shining with sweet apology, once again tried to overcompensate as he caught the cloth napkin Shimizu through his way and began to furiously rub at Tsukishima’s legs. 

“I-I’m so sorry, Tsukishima-san!”

“Y-Yamaguchi, this is really not necessary!”

They both stuttered forth with tomato cheeks and Tsukishima frantically looked around the room to once again gauge everyone’s reactions, this time to the new sight of Yamaguchi on his knees in front of Tsukishima’s crotch. Well, perhaps for Hinata and Kageyama it wasn’t that new as evidenced by Hinata’s flop on the couch and his loud yell telling them to take them to more private spaces, but Yachi had pressed her palms into her face and was determined to keep her mind clean of such a sight, even as she momentarily peeked through her fingers and squeaked back into her hiding place when she caught Tsukishima’s eye. 

Tsukishima sunk down to his own knees and gently shook Yamaguchi’s shoulders, dislodging a half-formed tear from his eyelids. “Yamaguchi, please, you’re in public.”

Yamaguchi jumped away from him, his body turning into a live wire as he surveyed the room himself and almost went to curl up on himself in embarrassment. Yachi handed him another glass of water and guided him to the couch where Hinata was sitting and Shimizu brought an extra pair of pants for Tsukishima, an old pair of his that she still had in her house for emergencies. He bowed his thanks and slipped into the bathroom where he was given momentary peace as he stared at his reflection in the mirror. He looked like a ghoul and he was surprised Yamaguchi hadn’t run away. Poking his cheeks and frowning, he sighed as he went to change. Re-seducing Yamaguchi would be a lot harder if he approached him looking like he just clawed his way out of a grave. Where was the Tsukishima Kei that got an annoying amount of love letters in school? He stared back into the mirror. Yamaguchi meeting the dog in the supermarket was the most vibrant he had seen him in what felt like forever. It had pierced Tsukishima with just a small ray of light, but it made him want to match it. Want to be the healthy, stable person Yamaguchi deserved.

Tsukishima took a deep breath and stepped outside of the bathroom to find Hinata crawling over Yamaguchi sat in Kageyama’s lap all as Yachi frantically tried to smother a patch of Yamaguchi’s hair that was on fire with the cloth Yamaguchi had tearfully pressed into Tsukishima’s crotch all while Shimizu set up the portable stove in the middle of the room.

Was it too late for Tsukishima to leave?

Yamaguchi certainly thought so as he looked up at Tsukishima when he re-entered the mess, eyes pleading for rescue. Yachi finally got her makeshift fire extinguisher in position and Yamaguchi carefully pressed the cloth damp with Tsukishima’s crotch water as Tsukishima himself happily moved forward to be Yamaguchi’s knight in shining armor as he clamped down on Hinata’s head on with palm and shoved him out of the way, offering another hand for Yamaguchi to grasp. Yamaguchi brightened and happily accepted, brightening up Tsukishima’s heart as Kageyama’s crotch got further and further away from places Tsukishima wanted to run fingers and tongue over. They both must have been a little too happy and Yamaguchi went tumbling into Tsukishima’s chest and Tsukishima went tumbling down into Yachi who thankfully dropped into the couch behind her. He let himself rest in the soft cushion that was Yachi’s chest for 0.1 seconds before meeting Shimizu’s cool stare and bouncing back up instantly, confused and tousled Yamaguchi in his arms. He made his way carefully around Shimizu to sit in an empty spot around the table, Yamaguchi padding along behind him. Hinata snickered and muttered something that sounded like ‘duckling’ and Yachi traitorously giggled along.

“Looks like he already imprinted on you, huh, Kei-kun?” came Yachi’s chipper voice. Yamaguchi squeaked at the suggestion and Tsukishima whipped his head back toward him in time to see him pull his fingers back from where he was clutching the hem of Tsukishima’s shirt. It was left a little wrinkled in his wake and Tsukishima watched as he bit his lip, fighting an internal struggle between smoothing down the cloth and blowing his cover or getting away scot-free. He decided on folding his hands behind his back and blinking innocently up at Tsukishima. 

What would they say if Tsukishima suddenly dragged Yamaguchi away to the hall or a closet or just outside and back home seeing as Tsukishima was the one who implored them to come together in the middle of the night. But how much guilt would he really feel with Yamaguchi’s fluttering eyelashes under his lips, more of those squeaks inches away from his breath, fingers grasping at his shirt. 

“Do you need to use the bathroom, Kei-kun?”

Tsukishima blinked, unable to decide whether to look at helpful but misguided Yachi or the Hinata crackling in the corner. 

“That’s the same face Kageyama makes when trying to think too hard!” came Hinata’s screech, much to the displeasure of both scowling men. Tsukishima took extreme offense to that comparison. He couldn’t disagree that Kageyama’s deep thought expression was a scrunched up mess, but Yamaguchi had always described his as serene. Tsukishima shuddered. Had he picked up on Kageyama’s horrible habit while Yamaguchi was gone? This situation needed to be rectified immediately. Step one: shut up the brat.

But Kageyama had that part covered as he tangled orange annoyance in limbs longer than the little demon could ever obtain. “What did you say?” They managed to wrestle each other into a rather couple-y position, Hinata in Kageyama’s lap, back to his chest facing the table and attempting to reach the slabs of meat Shimizu was setting out on plates before them. Kageyama was barking into Hinata’s ear as he held the shorter man’s wrists high above his head, one hand snaking down to tickle him. Hinata decided he had had enough and lifted his hips before dropping them down in a butt-wiggly move that Tsukishima couldn’t tell was meant to arouse or crush. Kageyama’s burst of a blooming red expression and angry eyebrows was impossible to distinguish between pain and pleasure regardless and Tsukishima stared impassively at the sight as Yachi snuck glances at Yamaguchi. He had always been the one to break up any fights or arguments even before Tanaka retired from knocking their heads together. But now Yamaguchi watched in worry and embarrassment as Hinata continued wiggling.

It was Shimizu who thankfully finally spoke up. A simple, “Hinata-kun, Kageyama-kun, this is your portion,” and the offering a very small plate had them crying and begging for forgiveness. Hinata tried to glare, but ruined the menacing effect when he stuck his tongue out as he was given a larger portion than Tsukishima himself. He merely rolled his eyes, thankful that Shimizu never forced extra food on him like many other pushy upperclassmen he had the bad luck to encounter. He had no wish to compete with the monster that was Hinata’s appetite. 

Yamaguchi, who had always shared these traits with Tsukishima, spent the meal rather ravenous. Tsukishima was happy to indulge him in any food he wanted, even stealing bits from Hinata’s plate when he was busy wiping off sauce on his fingers. He placed them delicately on Yamaguchi’s plate, holding back his urges to feed them directly into Yamaguchi’s mouth. Oops, Yamaguchi, Tsukishima broke all of the utensils in the house. What a shame. Looks like he’ll have to feed you mouth to mouth. Time for dessert, Yamaguchi, and the special on the menu is cream and you.

Tsukishima almost laughed out loud at the nonsense playing in his head, a step up from his previous reaction which was simply to wish that it was possible. 

They sat around the table, Tsukishima and Yamaguchi squished together in one side, Hinata and Kageyama sprawled over each other on the side to Tsukishima’s right, and Shimizu and Yachi each getting their own side. Not that they wanted it by the way they both huddled close to each other at the corner. Shimizu snuck pieces of vegetable into Yachi’s mouth as Hinata and Kageyama argued amongst themselves about how to cook what. Yamaguchi ate quietly, trying his best not to disturb Tsukishima and failing miserably due to his constant glances at his face. Stare all you want, Yamaguchi, Tsukishima basks in your glory. 

All in all, a typical group meal.

**Author's Note:**

> [More on tumblr](http://pareidoliaticspume.tumblr.com/)


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